One of the comments on the front of The Sheep Stell: Memoirs of a Shepherd, by Janet White is "lyrical" and that really fits this book well. A childhood in England in WWII made the author want to live somewhere wild, but quiet and peaceful. To make her parents happy, she went to school long enough so she could continue on to university, but never did. Instead, she looked for farms needing help with animals, specifically sheep. She worked in England, Wales, and New Zealand. She was happiest working alone taking care of everything herself. For a while that was on an island in New Zealand. There was a house (no plumbing or electricity) and pens for the sheep and a barn. Everyone and everything had to come by boat. There was a signal, created by fire, should she ever need emergency help. I'm not doing the book justice here, it is a beautiful read by a strong woman who lived an incredible life.

I have mixed feelings about The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: the True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession, by Allison Hoover Bartlett. Well written yes, but one of the things successful thieves like, I'm told, is recognition of their skills ... isn't that what this book does? The thief is never remorseful and often seems surprised when he is sent to jail (he didn't steal, he claims, he wrote bad checks). There is a detective who is determined to track him down, and, of course, the author who becomes fascinated by the world of rare books. An unusual and intense read.

Reading Hermit With Dog